DCU Comic Book Reviews

BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #13

The Network

January 2009

Written by Frank Tieri

Pencils by Fernando Dagnino

Inks by Raul Fernandez

Covers by J. Calafiore

Synopsis

At the Iceberg Lounge, Dr. Kirk Langstrom (aka Man-Bat) beats up a couple of Intergang members to send a message to Johnny Stitches that he needs to leave Gotham City.  As Man-Bat departs the lounge, Batgirl arrives and asks for his help.  Elsewhere, Vigilante infiltrates Johnny Stitches casino.  Before he can reach Stitches, however, he is attacked by the invisible Spoiler.  The Vigilante uses smoke to find her.  At that moment Batgirl appears to stop the fight and make both of them an offer.  In the batcave, Batgirl mulls over her list of people she has contact to be part of her network of “Outsiders”.  Alfred thinks it is a good idea, but suggests that she talk to Nightwing.  Batgirl doesn’t think he would understand.  Nearby, Nightwing thinks he needs to talk to her. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This is not a bad issue, but as time goes on this is becoming less and less the Outsiders and more and more a sequel to Tieri’s Gotham Underground.  Really, except for Man-Bat at the beginning, much of the book is spent on characters from that mini-series.  This not necessarily a bad thing, especially for someone like me who read the mini-series, but it is frustrating as hell because Tieri is not following up on events from the previous issue.  You know, where Sallah (Remac) was killed and Thunder was put in the hospital.  That one.  Why is Batgirl more interested in building a network than going after the Black Glove and getting payback for what he did to her teammate?  Perhaps if Tieri were less inclined to write the sequel to his story and stick with the story of the Outsiders, I think the issue would be much more captivating.  As it is, it fails to engage me and make me eager to read more. 

An interesting notion with the network, if it is kept.  It would allow the writer of the title to write whatever story they want with any character they want; they would not be tied down to a specific set of characters.  This is much like how Birds Of Prey was supposed to be like, with a revolving cast, and with the title canceled, I guess this title takes its place. 

At some point, Tieri and/or DC need to explain the differences between the Spoiler that appears in Robin and the Spoiler that appears here.  Because they are not the same.  Or, if they are, then someone needs to tell the editor of the Robin title that she has a new ability:  invisibility.  The problem is that Batgirl treats her like the Spoiler.  If you are going to have the character appear as the Spoiler (and given Gotham Underground, a legitimate proposition), then at least provide Batgirl with dialogue or narration that lets us know that she knows it is not Stephanie Brown. 

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